It was a sad day in the Sea to Sky Corridor when the Whistler movie theatre permanently shut its doors in the first week of 2023.
Having lived in 撸奶社区for over six years, the theatre has been a stalwart of my movie-going adventures.
I was dumbstruck by Avengers: Infinity War and in awe of Avengers: Endgame. I cried through A Star is Born and was confused by Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. I even consciously chose to go see Aquaman, instead of hanging out at Garfinkel’s.
Before the pandemic, the theatre was filled with teenagers, families and 20-somethings. The smell of salty buttered popcorn filled the basement suite, and the soda machine was stocked full of sugary satisfaction, which always provided an extra refill for the drive home to Squamish.
When a big film came along, the line inside would stretch up the stairs, and those at the end of the line could feel every swift breeze as the doors swung open with eager patrons. It was surely unpleasant but an experience worth having nonetheless.
Now without the theatre, 撸奶社区folk will have to go down to Park Royal in Vancouver, which of course, has similar offerings but lacks a certain charm that made the Whistler theatre special.
This is partly why there may be an opportunity to be had here in Squamish.
About 10 years ago now, Squamish’s only movie theatre closed its doors. But, as we’ve seen, so much can change in 10 years.
In 2011, Squamish’s population was about 17,500. In 2021, that number rose to about 24,000, with a lot of that increase occurring in the last five years. What’s more, 撸奶社区is experiencing a boom in the number of people aged zero to 14, with 3,320 in 2011 compared to 4,450 in 2021.
All of this is to say, if there ever was a time to pull together a group and make a movie theatre happen, this may very well be that perfect time.
I am biased, of course. You see, the movies don’t just offer a place to escape into film. They offer a place for kids to widen their imaginations, for teenagers to take on jobs and go on dates and practise being adults. Hell, the movies offer me a place to be a teenager again, where I can take my partner on a date and chew on Sour Patch Kids in the dark.
So if there’s someone out there thinking to themselves, “Hm, maybe I should open a movie theatre in Squamish?” Then on behalf of all movie-loving children, teenagers and adult residents, I say: PLEASE DO!
